ISLAMABAD, Nov 30: Pakistan is likely to import 1,000 megawatts of electricity from Tajikistan through Wakhan (Afghanistan) to meet shortfalls and future requirements.

Informed sources told Dawn on Tuesday that a team of National Engineering Services of Pakistan (Nespak) had submitted a pre-feasibility report to the government following a visit to Tajikistan from Oct 21 to Oct 28.

The pre-feasibility report suggests that Tajikistan will ensure a guaranteed supply of 5.5 billion units of electricity per year to Pakistan from its Rogun hydropower station for 3.3 cents per unit.

Sources said the Rogun project was under construction and would take two years to materialize. The Pakistan government says that there is over 40,000mw of hydropower potential in the country.

However, the sources said, the government had failed to tap these resources owing to strong anti-hydro lobbies at home seeking quick profits through emergency development of thermal power stations.

The Tajik electricity would be delivered in Peshawar through a 650-700km extra-high voltage transmission line and would cost from 4.4 cents to five cents per unit. All the line losses in the transmission system would be at the cost of Pakistan.

Two routes have been identified for the project. The first one will run through 430km in Afghanistan's Kunduz province, Salang Pass and Jalalabad before entering Peshawar and will cost 4.4 cents per unit at the delivery point.

The transmission line through this route will stretch 170km in Tajikistan, 430km in Afghanistan and 50km in Pakistan. The total length of this route is estimated at 650km. Although short and cheaper, Nespak has advised against this route citing security situation in Afghanistan.

The second route via Wakhan and Chitral is estimated at 700km and its per unit cost in Peshawar is estimated at 4.9 to five cents. The line will run 360km in Tajikistan, 30km in Afghanistan (Wakhan) and 310km in Pakistan.

The two governments had briefly discussed the project during Tajik president's visit to Islamabad last year. A meeting held by Water and Power Minister Liaquat Ali Jatoi here on Tuesday was apprised of the two routes.

An official statement issued later said the government was considering importing 1000MW power from Tajikistan to meet the country's future energy requirements and Nespak had been directed to carry out the feasibility study at an early date.

The minister called for a similar study to be carried out for the road linking Pakistan to Tajikistan to improve communication and boost trade between the two countries. The generation source in Tajikistan would be basically Rogun power plant on the Vakhsh river but could be supplemented by other plants on the same river, the meeting was informed.